Music Director

Dr. Karen Brook, Director of Music

Karen Brook holds Bachelors and Masters of Science degrees in Music Education with concentrations in Voice and Choral Conducting, as well as a Ph.D in Psychology and Ph.D. in Christian Counseling and Pastoral Care. Karen’s piano and organ education began when she was very young with her first professional organ performance at 12. Her advanced piano teacher was a protégé of the famous Nadia Boulanger and advanced organ teacher at St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH was Robert Powell, well known composer and organist.

Karen’s extensive career in music began at the University of New Hampshire as an Adjunct Piano teacher there, beginning in her freshman year and continuing throughout her entire time at the University. She also began her wide-ranging career as a choral director as the Associate Conductor of the University of NH Concert Choir as a freshman, directing many concerts including performances in Symphony Hall in Boston and a number of Christmas Television “Specials” for Channel 4 WBZ in Boston which featured the Concert Choir. Her mentor in choral music was the late Dr. Cleveland Howard who was a close friend of the highly respected composer and arranger of African American “Spirituals”, William L. Dawson who was a professor at the Tuskegee Institute, and Dr. Howard’s close mentor was the highly respected choral conductor, the late Allen Lannom, then at Boston University.

From singing in an opera company for three years, to recording as a singer on two Jazz albums, being a frequent Mezzo Soprano soloist for major works performed by semi-professional choruses and orchestras in NH and VT, performing as a member of a prestigious madrigal group in MA, being guest conductor for many choral festivals and elected Choral Chairperson for NH, Karen has many years of experience in most genres of vocal music. Her love of serving churches as a Director of Music has been a constant throughout her entire career and she has worked in churches of every denomination including serving as cantor in a synagogue and organist and choir director for a Greek Orthodox church, where all the liturgy is sung in Greek. Karen was also the director of the Air Force Choir at the former Pease Air Force SAC Base in Newington, NH. She has 13 years experience as the Director of Choral Music at a number of high schools and currently is the Music Adjunct Professor at Colby-Sawyer College teaching Piano, Voice, Music Theory and Composition, Music Appreciation/History and Director of the Colby-Sawyer College Singers. She is also delighted to be serving as Director of Music at the Washington Congregational Church UCC.